


The Cineromance

by PrettyLittle_Hunter



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Boss/Employee Relationship, F/F, Overdosing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-17
Updated: 2016-10-19
Packaged: 2018-08-09 11:02:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,340
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7799224
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PrettyLittle_Hunter/pseuds/PrettyLittle_Hunter
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Emma gets a summer job at the cinema, where her manager, Regina, catches her eye. Drama ensues.</p><p>A work in progress... :)</p><p>And it will get to "Mature" raiting by the end x</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Emma has been working at the cinema for about a week full time now, her long blonde hair is always pulled back into a messy ponytail as she wrestles with ice-creams and hot dogs and popcorn, which gets absolutely everywhere by the way!  
She loves working there, even if it is sometimes a bit stressful, well okay, a lot stressful... Like when the queues stretch right back and the coffee machine would choose that moment to break down; or when a teenager would decide it would be funny to see how many screens they could enter when only paying for one ticket, or when you have three sold out screens that all finished at the same time and all need cleaning in 20 mins and then a kid has decided to throw their popcorn all over the floor! But No she loves it there, warts and all! There is just one problem for Emma, and that is Regina… her manager.

Regina is always flawlessly put together. From her tailored skirt suits to her manicured nails. Right down to her eyeliner, which Emma is pretty sure must be stenciled on, or tattooed, like seriously! No one can be that perfect! And that is just the problem, Emma just cannot keep her eye’s off of every perfect centimeter of her. Whenever she saunters her way over Emma immediately looses her cool: sweating, tripping, banging into things that weren’t there moments ago! Sure she’s a bit of a klutz anyway, but it just seems like the world is conspiring to make her a fool in front of Ms Regina Mills.

And there she is, the Queen herself, stood in the foyer in easy conversation with some customers. Emma’s eyes are trained completely on her, pouring that coke is always made that little bit harder when 90% of your attention is averted to the perfect ass of the woman standing 10 feet away. Every once in awhile her glance drifts up to meet Emma’s and a knowing smirk passes across her face, and Emma feels her stomach flutter involuntarily as she smiles back.

Oh Crap, she’s bloody coming over here! Emma thinks to herself as Regina saunters over, is she moving her hips like that on purpose? No, No move eyes up to meet eyes, not perfect boobs, up!  
Regina's eyes are trained on Emma’s, the eye contact seeming to last forever, until Emma can’t handle it anymore. Emma glances down as if she was busy with wiping something.  
“Miss Swan”  
“How’s it going?,” Emma asks, still busying herself with wiping down the already spotless counter.  
“Good Dear, can you stand on dropbox, while I help sort these customers?” Regina asks, indicating to the three gentlemen who had been following Regina.  
“Of course” replies Emma, possibly too eagerly if the look Regina is giving her is anything to go by but Emma is just too pleased to be out of the woman’s intoxicating presence even if it is for just a minute.

By the end of her shift Emma’s panties are pretty much ruined. At one point in the evening Regina had grabbed her hand to show her where needed to be cleaned by squishing it into gunk and sticky stuff that was hidden from sight in bins and machines and the like. Emma had been less concerned with how disgusting it all was and more preoccupied with her brain going, “she’s holding my hand! She’s touching me! This is happening!” and besides, her hand hadn’t stopped tingling since.

Emma had gone home that evening to her dark, empty, lonely apartment and tried to pre-occupy herself with messaging her best friend Ruby, but from the moment Emma had sent her first message Ruby had known something was up. After Emma had spilled it all; how all she could think about was Regina, and how impossible it was for Regina to like her! She was just the 20 year old orphaned klutz, with a lowly summer job selling popcorn, whereas Regina is a mature, sexy-ass woman, with a career and a boyfriend to boot! But all Ruby would tell her was to go for it, not to worry that she was her boss or that she was most likely hetro or that she was already seeing someone; but just to go for it anyway! -well that was Rubes alright.

After she’d said bye to Ruby and signed off she was just left more frustrated and as much as she tried to help it she couldn’t get Ruby’s messages out of her head, no matter how bad she was convinced it couldn’t work, (like ever in a billion years!) Regina just would not leave her head. So Emma succumbed to the inevitable and fell asleep with a hand between her legs feeling mad at herself for her lack of discipline but also much more sedated.


	2. Chapter 2

Emma’s weeks at work passed by without much ado, she could see herself improving. Actually learning and developing skills; something she hadn’t done since middle school when the thought of finding a good foster home by getting good grades had abandoned her. But now, here she was, actually looking forward to doing work, and it wasn’t just the promise of seeing Regina. 

The summer rush had just started this week, all the schools in the area had broken up and Finding Dory was being released, so work was busy to stay the least. Parents were making the most of having 2 hours where they could just sit and relax without having to entertain the kids any further than a movie and popcorn. 

Emma’s shift started at 3, right in the middle of a walk-in, it seemed nearly all their 8 screens were either just finishing or just starting so Emma was plunged right into helping usher people towards their screens, to the toilets and where to buy the tickets from. As soon as she’d arrived her colleague, Belle, had headed off to start cleaning one of the screens that had just finished and she was told Ashley was cleaning another. Eventually the three of them managed to get all the screens cleaned and the endless flow of customers into their films. 

Just as the latest screen had just come out and Ashley had disappeared around the corner to clean it; a gentleman with his three children walked over. He started to tell Emma that there was a man asleep in the men’s toilet! And to make things about ten times worse, apparently this guy had been there since they went into their film?! Emma checked the paperwork, toilet checks hadn’t been done since 12! It was now near enough 4! Oh god, Emma started to panic, why hadn’t toilet checks been done, and why does it have to be her left to deal with it she hates going into the mens, and she hates confrontation, what if this guy refuses to leave? Why are there never any guys on shift when you need them?! Emma started to contemplate waving madly at the CCTV hoping Regina would notice, or getting Belle and asking her to go instead, but no she strolled over to the restrooms. 

Emma banged loudly on the door before pushing it open the slightest amount and shouting,  
“toilet checks!”  
Walking in she instantly hearing the guttural snores and heads straight to the cubical. She knocks on the door hoping she’d disturb the guy, how does someone manage to fall asleep in that tiny cramped space, and in a cinema? When he doesn’t stir Emma knocks a bit louder and shouts through the door, but to no avail. So she uses her nail on the security bit of the lock so she can slide the bolt across. That’s when she blacks out, or rather has flashbacks to her foster brother, August. 

August wasn’t really her foster brother but they’d been nearly inseparable since joining the same group home 10 years ago so that’s what they called each other, they’d done everything together at school and at the group home, neither one of them would be in trouble without the other confessing moments later, partners in crime. They had even moved in together when they’d outgrown the system. Then last year, August had gotten in with the wrong crowd and wouldn’t listen to Emma when she said they were bad news, always claiming he had it under control. It was just the drinking at first. As much as Emma tried to stop him he wouldn’t listen, they were taking her best friend away from her, the one person privy to all her secrets. Finding August on the floor in their flat surrounded by white powder and half drunk beers the worst moment of Emma’s life, and that includes all the times families had dumped her on the doorstep of her next group home. 

Emma hadn’t realized it in the shock, but she had run out of the mens restroom in tears and bumped straight into Regina. Ignoring the ‘I’m so in love with you’ butterflies that immediately entered her stomach, Emma started to tell her what had happened. Regina ran her fingernails down Emma’s back and checked she was okay before wordlessly, and with her eyes narrowed, Regina heading off toward the toilets. Emma gulped, glad she’s not on the receiving end of that death stare. 

Regina reappeared, she shot a half smile in Emma’s direction and motioned for her to follow and walking swiftly to the office barking orders at Belle to make sure no one entered the mens toilet. When they reached the office she sat Emma down and told her to have a glass of water, whilst she quickly phoned an ambulance and the police and informed Killian, the supervisor on shift, what had happened. Killian quickly called another manager to come in and Regina told Emma to sit tight. Then they both left. 

About half an hour later Emma had stopped the steady flow of tears and had managed to sip about half a glass of water. She was still shaking when Regina and Killian returned with Sydney, the other manager that Killian had managed to contact. Regina came straight over to Emma and started running her fingernails up and down Emma’s back again. Emma, despite everything, could feel the heat begin to pool in her stomach and Regina commented that she could already feel her starting to relax. When Emma asked what had happened they told her that some guy had overdosed on Heroin and collapsed in the toilet, still with the needle sticking out his arm but the paramedics said he’d probably be okay, he’d been found just in time and they’d managed to get him out and to the hospital. 

Once Emma had calmed down they got her to write a statement on everything that had happened; who’d told her, when they’d told her and what she’d done after. And Emma wrote it all out with shaky hands. Regina offered to let her go home if she wanted, but the last thing Emma needed was to be on her own in the apartment where she’d found her best friend so she continued ripping tickets with shaky hands, taking every opportunity to vanish into a screen on her own and clean it, trying not to throw up and settle her nerves before she had to go home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Promise I'll get more into the SwanQueen in the next chapter! Thanks for all the kudos and comments! xx


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's Regina's Birthday Party and Emma get's pretty tipsy. Party antics to be continued in Chapter 4

Things at work calmed down after the event in the restroom, asides from the need to now do toilet checks every half hour, on top of all the screen checks and the cleaning and the greeting customers. So there was a lot to remember to do, and hard to fit it all in when the cinema got busy. But things got done, eventually. 

Regina had been checking up on Emma after everything that had happened, she’d realized that something more had effected the young blonde than just seeing the man unconscious on the floor, and she really wanted to know what it was. Not just out of professional curiosity, or out of just plain old curiosity but out of concern for Emma, and that was something that surprised Regina herself. She didn't normally care that much about a person, unless: A. they were related, B. They were dating or C. If it would benefit Regina in the long run. And caring about Emma didn’t fit into any of those categories.

It had been about a week, maybe a week and a half until Emma had opened up to Regina, the constant pestering and concern finally broke down her shell. She’d been worried that as soon as she started talking about it that it would all come tumbling back and she’d having to go tough all that pain again. Or what if it was even worse and she went back into that space again, where all she relied on to get her through the day was the bottle of Jack stashed in the glove compartment in her beat up old Bug. Regina convinced her though, she said she would be there for Emma no matter what, that she didn’t want to force Emma to talk about somethings she didn’t want to, but that whenever she had a problem she always found it was made that little bit more better by talking about it. So by a week of this endless coercing Emma was finally able to talk. 

She told Regina everything, about August, how they’d been inseparable, how finding him on her floor had been the worst moment in her entire life and how about seeing the man in the restroom had brought back so many memories. Regina had sat there with an arm around her, ever the perfect listener; letting Emma cry onto her shoulder and passing tissues whilst she trailed her nails up and down Emma’s back. 

Eventually, when Emma’s tears had run dry, they just sat there on the staff room sofa, hugging, neither one wanting to let go.  
Emma was softly sobbing as Regina rubbed her back. Was it weird that she felt so simultaneously happy and sad in that moment? Finally she’d gotten to be this close to Regina, if only it could be under slightly different circumstances.  
Regina, on the other hand had suddenly figured out why she’d come to care about Emma, and why this hug simply felt so right, if only their situation could be the teensiest bit different, if only she wasn’t falling for her young employee. 

 

❤︎ ❤︎ ❤︎

 

A couple of day’s later it was Regina’s Birthday. She’d organized drinks at the bar across the road from the cinema and invited everyone from work. None of Emma’s closest work friends were going but how could she resist the opportunity to spend time with Regina out of the confines of work, and out of her hideously, unflattering work uniform. 

Emma had needlessly spent far too much time going over every aspect of her outfit in an attempt to impress Regina. Finally, and after a couple of hours help from Ruby via video call, she had settled on her signature skinnies and red leather jacket; but instead of the usual tank-top and knee highs, she’d gone for a red stiletto and a super low cut top she had left over from a slutty halloween costume a few years back, overall it was the sexiest she’d looked in a long time, and as hot as she was going to get without being late. Besides Ruby said she’d bang her and that was the best compliment you could get out of that girl. 

Emma knew it was pointless putting in all this extra effort for Regina; the extra half an hour blow drying her hair to get the perfect curls, and the countless YouTube videos she’d watched in order to attain a somewhat acceptable smokey eye. Regina was clearly taken, after all Emma had heard her talk multiple times about her fiancé, and whoever this mysterious finance was they’d have to be an idiot to let go of Regina. 

“Ah Emma!” She scolded her reflection, “this is so typically, why do you have to always fall for the most unattainable women?!”

When Emma arrived at the Bar (only 1 hour late), she grabbed a couple of bright pink cocktails it was to a chorus of compliments, everyone mock-teasing Emma for her secret hotness. But Emma only had eyes for Regina, who seemed to be suddenly very interested in her phone. Shrugging to herself for Regina’s apparent lack of interest Emma glanced at her reflection as she walked over to their table. She did look pretty damn good, especially if you compared her to the usual pulled back hair and bright blue unfitted shirt they were required to wear for work. That was when she realized there was only one place at the table left, and it was on the bench Regina was sat on. Not knowing whether to thank god or curse him Emma slid down the bench until her hand brushed Regina’s leg and she felt the older woman shudder.

“Hey,” Emma said, in a tone much more sultry than originally intended, “sorry, is this seat taken?”  
“Well it is now, Miss Swan,” Regina followed in an equally sensual tone that made Emma gulp.  
“Oh! Happy Birthday”  
“My Birthday isn’t until Friday Miss Swan”  
“I know but this is your Birthday Party right? So I’m allowed.” Emma poked her tongue out at Regina who joined in with Emma’s laughter.  
“Sorry I was late by the way, I was, you know…”  
“preening?” Regina deadpanned.  
“Hey!” an affronted Emma replied, “I don’t usually get the opportunity to ‘Preen’ as you say, I thought I’d make a special effort for you. ur…. I mean for your birthday, thing.”  
“Why thank you Miss Swan,” she replied with a knowing smirk  
“-Emma, please, we’re not at work now Regina.” 

Emma could feel the alcohol hitting her, she hadn’t eaten that much during the day as she’d been focusing on getting ready and she was already on to her 3rd, or was it 4th cocktail. The two of them had chatted for a whole while longer, both seeming to have forgotten that they were part of bigger group. Emma could feel herself moving closer as her inhibitions slipped away, and was she imagining things or was Regina leaning into her too? 

But before Emma could follow her train of thought any further Regina’s phone rang and she jerked well away from Emma and bolt upright as she answered without a hesitation.  
“Dan?” Regina answered.  
Ah! the ever illusive fiancé, Emma thought, as Regina got up and moved to a quiet corner.  
Emma slipped her fingers into the soft fabric of the jacket Regina had left on the seat, feeling her warmth. 

 

But then she shuck her head clear, why was she moping over the most unattainable woman here, she could be mingling, finding someone a bit more yielding. Taking a deep breath and without even a glance over her shoulder at Regina, Emma moved to chat with some of her colleagues at the other end of the table. Her supervisor Killian immediately pulled her over to join his conversation, according to Belle it was common knowledge at work that Killian had a thing for her, and whilst he wasn’t really her type Emma didn’t really mind stringing him along, if not just for the pleasure of feeling wanted. 

Another few cocktails later and Emma was pretty much gone. Killian and Emma’s little chat had swiftly been interrupted by Dorothy and her friends Lionel and Tina and the five of them had quickly settled into a game of Truths. Emma had been dodging questions all night long by drinking instead of answering,  
“I there someone at work you have the hots for?” - drink (her eyes never leaving Regina’s)  
“Would you ever bang one of the managers?” -drink (watching Regina though her lashes)  
“Have you ever done anal?” Seriously Killian?! - Drink! 

And then there had been the easy ones,  
“How old were you when you had your first Kiss?”  
12, with her foster sister Lily  
“what’s your sexual orientation?”  
“Lesbian” - which no one, excluding Killian, had been surprised about, and finally  
“Shots?”  
“Hell yeah!” 

That’s when they they brought the shots out and Emma did three. She’d been watching Regina all night and that persistent niggle that something was up, or that there could be something between just wouldn’t leave Emma’s mind alone, no matter how much she drank; so she did the shots in the hope that maybe that would numb her brain enough to get rid of the feeling. Emma looked up across the table at Regina, her three shots lined up in front of her, and as she caught Regina's eye she drank them in quick succession, neither blinking.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Continued from the last chapter :)

Emma swallowed, her throat had suddenly gone dry from the intense stare match her and Regina had going and she felt her breath hitch as Regina’s tongue snaked out to wet her lips. Emma started to move towards Regina, all thoughts of Killian and Dorthy forgotten. But before she could get close enough Belle had moved over to Regina and started chatting animatedly, in that moment Emma couldn’t help but be annoyed by Belle even though she knew the sweet girl meant no harm. Emma was consoled however by the quick apologetic look Regina shot at her over Belle’s shoulder. 

Interpreting the look as an invitation to break up the seemingly awkward conversation between Regina and Belle Emma joined the pair and instead of choosing the empty seat next to Belle she sat next to Regina on a bench that was that little bit too big for one and too small for two. And as Emma started to consider what she was doing she decided she didn’t really care all that much, the alcohol must really have been taking it’s effect and all she wanted was to be close to Regina, to feel those perfect red lips against her own. The thought of their lips meeting just made Emma need to touch her but she compromised by slipping her fingers back into the soft fabric of Regina’s jacket, which this time was in Regina’s lap. 

Regina’s reaction was just what Emma had hoped, she gave a little gasp under her breath as she jolted up.  
“Miss Swan!” she breathed, all thoughts of trying to politely engage with Belle were lost with the sensations that coursed through her body owing to the blonde’s presence.  
“Miss Mills,” Emma replied huskily, knowing the effect she was having Regina,  
“where’s the fiancé then Mills? I wanted to meet this infamous Dan.”  
“Oh, Dan couldn’t make it actually.”  
Emma felt a sudden drop in the warmth of Regina’s tone. So the fiancé is a touchy subject then thought Emma, as Regina shuffles her legs shifting Emma’s hand from her lap.  
“ohh? What’s up?” Emma asks Regina, genuinely worried about her.  
“It’s not really a conversation one usually has with their employee, Dear.”  
“I’m pretty sure we’re way past that now Regina, come on you know nearly everything about my messed up past, it’s only fair I hear some of your drama in return.” 

Regina lets out a huff of defeated laughter in response, her eye’s scanning the distance as she works out what to say; she can’t exactly just say “Emma I don’t think I want to marry Dan because I think I’m falling for you instead” and she can’t say “All I can think about is your lips and how it would feel to kiss them and all i can think about is you and I didn’t even invite Dan tonight because I just wanted to spend time with you and seeing you over there with Dorothy and Killian made me so jealous!…” no that is pretty much all entirely out f the question, so she settles for,

“I’m just not that sure that I have those feelings anymore, marriage is a big step and I suppose I’ll always be stuck wondering, ‘What if…”  
“Yeah I get that, I guess it’s just knowing if that’s the person you could spend the rest of your life with?”  
“And that, my dear, is just it. I don’t know if I could spend my life with Dan, it was perfect once but now…”  
Emma feels herself moving closer, she’s certain now, Regina is leaning into her and her eyes keep darting down to Emma’s lips. Emma can feel their breath mingling in the air, her hand drifting back up Regina’s leg. 

And that’s when Killian sets of a confetti cannon! The loud bang jolts them both back and out of their trance, and before Emma can say anything, or even follow, Regina has upped and disappearing off into the crowd, a regular Cinderella. Defeated Emma heads off to reprimand Killian for his untimely cannon blasting. 

❤︎ ❤︎ ❤︎

Dorothy had brought a bottle of vodka and after dragging Killian and Emma onto the dance floor, had proceeded down it straight from the bottle. Emma had planted herself against a wall so she had a unrestricted view of the dance floor. She refused the bottle the first few times Dorothy had passed it her way, instead choosing to scan the dance floor and bar for Regina. After a long while of persistent nagging from both Killian and Dorothy she gave up her hunt and reached for the bottle, feeling the effect of the vodka almost instantly. 

The rest of the night became blurry for Emma. She remembered slut dropping against the wall and “dirty” dancing with Dorothy, Killian awkwardly third wheeling for a long while until some more of their party came and joined. Although Emma was becoming increasingly unaware of her surroundings. In fact, her drunken thoughts mostly consisted of: Well maybe if I make out with Dorothy then all those stupid feelings for Regina will just go away, like August used to say “the best way to get over someone is to get under someone.”

Emma could feel the hotness of Dorothy’s breath on her cheek, but it wasn’t that nice sexy hot like Regina’s, it felt wet and gross and it stank of alcohol. She felt Dorothy’s hand on her waist, a leg slipped between hers and suddenly she was pinned to her wall, which a few minuets ago had ben her refuge. Before she could think one way or another a wet mouth was upon hers, and a tongue forced inside. Emma couldn’t help it, she groaned, all that sexual tension she’d built up from pining after Regina was suddenly being satisfied, or as satisfied as it was going to get. Sure it wasn’t Regina, but she could imagine.  
❤︎ ❤︎ ❤︎

The canon Killian had set off had startled Regina out of her thoughts, what was she doing, she was engaged! She can’t go around kissing other girls at parties no matter how much she wanted to! No matter how much she didn’t want to spend the rest of her life with Dan! That’s why she’d let up and walked away, her self restraint was deserting her, and no matter how little she seemed it Regina knew that Emma was very drunk right now. 

Regina had headed straight upstairs to the restroom to splash cold water on her face, trying to get her thoughts in order.  
She could call this whole thing of with Danielle right now and go ask Emma is she’d wait for her.  
No, too clingy.  
She could become one of the women she’d always despised and just kiss Emma! She wanted it that badly it almost didn’t seem so terrible to cheat on her fiancée to do it? okay yeah it does sound that terrible.  
Or she could just talk to Emma about it all tomorrow both of them sober. After all she didn’t even know if Emma had feelings for her, or was even gay for that matter, maybe she was just one of those women who flirts with everyone, she was getting bit too pally with Dorothy earlier.  
“Regina Breath!” she muttered to her reflection. 

After she’d reapplied her make up and freshened up Regina had headed back downstairs, promising herself a glass of red, so what if it was a cocktail bar, wine was much deserved. That’s when she saw it, from the stairs. Across the pub was a familiar blonde pushed against the wall mid make-out. And to Dorothy of all people?! well I guess that answers the gay question, thought Regina sarcastically as a painful stab of jealousy shot through her. Tears brewing in her eyes she marched down the stairs, out the door and hailed a taxi. Too quickly to see a suddenly sobered Emma pushing a disgruntled Dorothy off.


	5. Chapter 5

The next day at work Emma was nursing the worst hangover, but asides from the omnipresent feeling of needing to puke her guts up, Emma’s day was going well. There were very few customers and she hadn’t seen Killian, Dorothy or Regina all day, the three people in all the world that she wanted to avoid the most. So instead she was worrying about what the hell she was going to tell any of them.

The plan so far was, ignore everyone involved until they all forget it ever happened and everything goes back to normal… yeah okay, so that might not work.  
Plan B, tell Dorothy it was just a drunken mistake, tell Killian it was just a drunken mistake and tell Regina, that it was just a drunken mistake when in fact she had been imaging kissing her and it had been a subpar replacement and she’d do anything to try the real thing. Yeah that’s likely. 

“Miss Swan?” a familiar voice jolted Emma from her thoughts. Oh crap, Regina.  
“Oh Hi, I Uh didn’t think you were in today?”  
“Well clearly I am, Dear. And if you are done daydreaming a child has been sick in Screen 3 Isle F and it needs clearing up.”  
With that she turned and swished away, leaving a gaping Emma in her wake. 

The rest of the day proceeded much in the same way, Emma saw very little of Regina and when she did it was icy cold. Emma was trying to work out what she’d done wrong. The only thing she could think of was the kiss with Dorothy. But that made no sense as Regina couldn’t know about it, she hadn’t been there. And besides, even if she did know there is no reason for her to react this way, it’s not like she’d be jealous or angry or anything, they're defiantly not dating and Regina very defiantly has a fiancé. Oh! Fiancé, maybe it’s not me at all, though Emma, maybe it’s the never to be seen fiancé that didn’t go to Regina’s Birthday party. 

❤︎ ❤︎ ❤︎

Well that theory lasted all of two seconds. Something was up with Regina, something more than usual, and Emma was pretty much 100% sure it was her fault. It had been nearly a week since the party and Regina still hadn’t warmed up, Emma was starting to miss their banter and their little chats in the staff room. But no, Regina was apparently done being the Evil Queen and had become the Ice Queen instead.

Emma was hoping that things would get back to normal, whatever it was she had done she wanted to apologize and move on. But that was just the thing, she didn’t know what it was that she had done so how was she supposed to apologize? 

Exactly a week after the party it was the midnight release of the newest Star Trek film, apparently Emma was making a habit of getting no sleep on Thursdays as they were due to finish at 3am, or later. As there were only the one screen with people in, there were only three of the Team left plus Regina as the manager. They had been progressing pretty well, given how busy they’d been and there was now only the mopping and paperwork left to be done. Belle and Tina volunteered to finish up with the mopping if Emma wanted to complete the paperwork and go hand it over to Regina, reluctantly Emma agreed. 

Emma had quickly got the paperwork up to date and was hesitating outside the office door not wanting to knock and face Regina wrath. But eventually she plucked up the courage and Regina buzzed her in.

“Hey Regina, here’s the paperwork” Emma said, hovering in the doorway stretching out the clipboard as offering, not wanting to be locking in the room with Regina.  
“Thank you Miss Swan, come in.” Regina indicated to the chair next to here, but Emma just awkwardly scuttled over and stood behind it.  
“How is all the cleaning going out there?” Regina continued, not looking up from her computer.  
“Okay, I think, Belle and Tina are just mopping and deck scrubbing so we’re probably ready for you to have a look and then it’ just waiting for Screen 10 to come out.”  
“Thank you Miss Swan, I’ll be over shortly to inspect.”  
Emma stood there for a couple more seconds, wondering if that was her dismissal, when she’d realized that it was she scuttled back over to the door and left as fast as possible; God, you could cut the tension with a knife she thought. 

When Emma got back she found Belle and Tina just finishing the last of the mopping. They didn’t have to wait very long for Regina to come through and start her inspection. She seemed happy with it over all, only picking up on a couple of things that they'd missed, so she told Tina and Belle that they could leave if they wanted and her and Emma would finish up and lock up after the customers had left. Emma felt her heart sink, a week ago she would have given anything for it just to have been her and Regina in the dark Cinema, but now it seemed almost torture!  
❤︎ ❤︎ ❤︎

 

Finally at 2:30am the film had finished and Emma held the screen doors open with bin bag in hand, Thanking everyone as they came out. Eventually the stragglers appeared after having waited for a none existent after credits screen; and Emma hurried in and started clearing away the rubbish as fast as possible, knowing that meanwhile Regina would be locking the doors downstairs to stop anyone coming back in and doing the last managerial close duties.  
Regina came into the screen about 15mins after the last people had left and Emma had gotten about half way through the rows, it was after all their biggest screen seating over 300 people. The problem with it being this late was that Regina had already turned off the music so there was just an awkward silence as they both picked up rubbish to put into their already bulging bin bags. 

When the screen was cleaned Emma traipsed off to get her stuff and swipe out at the end of her shift, whilst Regina turned off the lights just leaving the emergency ones on. They met down one of the corridors so Regina could lock up without Emma tripping the alarm.  
“Emma, wait.” Whispered Regina.  
Emma, who had been heading off towards the exit, whisked around to look at Regina. Not having realized how close Regina was behind her, Emma gasped when she saw her perfectly gorgeous boss mere centimeters from her face. Regina reached out and lightly touched Emma’s arm, causing Emma to subconsciously lick her lower lip as she stared deep into Regina’s eyes, dilated in the low light, like swirling pools of molten chocolate.  
“Emma I…” Regina started, her eyes flicking down to Emma’s lips, “I just wanted to say I was sorry for how I’ve been acting lately, I ur, I have some news.”  
Emma frowned, this was most unlike Regina? She was apologizing?  
“Dan and I are moving in together-”  
“Oh wow, congratulations!” Emma interrupted, this is what she wanted to talk about, moving in with her fiancé?  
“Yes Well, it’s in London. Dan, she got a job you see, a job that she can’t really pass up on, so I agreed it would be best if we both moved down there together, get a fresh start and everything…” Regina was rambling now, she never rambled, she frowned at herself.  
“oh” said Emma, “um wow London? -wait Dan is a girl? She’s your fiancée?”  
“yes? ur, short for Danielle, I thought you knew?”  
“No, I just ur, I just always assumed-”  
She was cut of by the press of warm lips to her own. She felt Regina’s hands come up to cup her face as she closed her eyes the initial surprise passing. She reached for Regina’s waist, a moan escaping her lips as she tilted her head, her lips parting for Regina’s soft sweet tongue. They kissed slowly at first, neither one wanting it to end. Then Emma turned them both and pushed Regina against the wall, her thigh finding it’s way between Regina’s as she pinned the older woman to the wall. Their kissing became more intense, more frantic grasping for purchase on any skin they could find. Emma’s hand finding their way to Regina’s bum as she hiked her up the wall, pushing their bodies ever closer. 

That’s when her phone rang, it wasn’t even on vibrate, her cheesy Star Wars Theme just blasting out into the silent cinema which moments earlier had been filled with the sounds of their heavy breathing. 

“Oh shit,” groaned Emma, “That’ll be my housemate, Mary, wondering where I am, she was picking me up” Regina didn’t say anything as they unwrapped themselves, sheepishly exchanging half-smiles.  
“well ur…” mumbled Emma, suddenly very embarrassed and starting to wonder what had just happened.  
“See you on Saturday Emma.”  
“See you then ‘Gina”  
And with that Emma dashed down the stairs, hitting redial on her phone and immediately being greeted to Mary-Margret’s shrill voice of concern.


End file.
